Shoe-gage for planters.



P. A. KELLEB SHOE GAGE FOB PLANTEBS. APPLICATION FILED AP. 13. 190D.

929,447. Patented July 27, 1909. Y

, 2 SHEETS-31221? 1.

3 fw//f/* mail@ P. A. KELLER'.

SHOE GAGE FOR PLANTERS. APPLIOATION FILED A1 11.13,1909.

929,447. Patented Ju1y.27,1909. 2 SHEETS-SHEET z.

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rr sinus PAUL A. KELLER, OF WATERLOO, IOWA.

SHOE-GAGE FOR PLANTERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Y Patented July 27, 1909.

Application filed April 13, 1909. Serial No. 489,615.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PAUL A. KELLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at lVaterloo, in the county of Blackhawk and State of iowa, have invented new and useful l'niprovements in Shoe-Gages for Planters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in corn and other planters, particularly with reference to a gage for application to the shoe or runner of a planter to regulate the depth at which said shoe or runner shall operate in the soil and thereby cause the seed to be planted at the correct depth to insure germination and `proper' rooting and with this end in View, the said invention consists of the construction, combination and arangement of devices hereinafter described and claimed. f

n the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side eleva-tion of my improved gage, showing the same applied to the runner of a corn planter. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same, on the plane indicated by the line a-af, of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view, showing the inner side of the block which is provided' with a fixed clamping jaw. Fig. 4 is a similar view, showing the inner side of the detachable clamping jaw.

For the purposes of this specification, the shoe or ruimer of a corn planter of usual type is shown at 2 in Figs. 1 and 2 and the seed spout at 3.

It is the object of my invention to provide an improved gage mechanism for use on the shoe to regulate the depth at which the shoe shall run in the soil and hence to cause all the seed to be planted at a proper' uniform depth in the soil.

1n the making of my improved shoe gage, I provide a block 4 which has its lower portion formed into a jaw 5 to bear against one side of the shoe. On the inner face of said jaw, near the upper end thereof is a fulcrum shoulder 6 which presents'a horizontal lower face 7 to extend above the upper edge of the shoe and a vertical face 8, the said shoulder G overhanging and extending laterally from the inner face of the said jaw and being substantially of a width corre sponding to the thickness of the shoe or runner. rlfhe said block is provided further near its upper end with a beaiing shoulder 9 which presents a horizontal face 10 that extends laterally from and overhangs the Vertical face 8 ofthe fulcrum shoulder 6. At the upper end of the said block is a head 11 which Vextends above the shoe and is provided with an axle 12 disposed transversely with reference to and above the shoe, the ends of the axle projecting beyond opposite sides of the head to receive gage wheels 13 which bear on the ground on opposite sides of the shoe, prevent the latter from runningtoo deeply in the soil, hence cause the seeds to be planted at arequired predetermined uniform depth in the soil 'and furthermore serve tol crush clods, compress or irm the soil abovethe seed and also serve to relieve neck stress on thev draft animals by partially supporting the front end of the planter. The said jaw 5 has a transverse bolt hol-e 14 at a slight distance below the fulcrum shoulder 6 which bolt hole tapers from its inner side toward its outer side.

n connection with the block 4 and its fixed 5, I provide a detachable jaw 15 which is adapted to bear-on the side of the l'shoe opposite that which is engaged by the jaw 5 and the upper end of which bears di- Arectly under the bearing shoulder 9 of the block 4, the upper portion of the inner face of the said detachable jaw bearing against the vert-ical face S of said fulcrum shoulder 6. fEhe said detachable jaw 15 also has a bolt hole 16 which is identical with the bolt hole14 of theV fixed jaw 5 and a bolt 17 is employed which passes through the bolt holes in the aws and clamps the aws firmly on opposite sides of the shoe at any desired adjustment of the block so that the gage shoe may be set to cause the gage wheel to run at any desired adjustment, so as to regulate the depth at which the seeds are planted in the soil. It will be understood from the foregoing description and particularly upon reference to Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings that owing to the provision of the fulcrum shoulder against which the upper portion of the detachable bears,the clamping bolt is enabled to clamp the jaws so firmly on the shoe that there is no likelihood of the gage becoming casually displaced. The nut of the clamping bolt is shown at 18. The opposing inner faces of the aws are serrated or roughened asat 19 to increase thefrictional grip of the jaws on the sides of the shoe.

iVhat is claimed is 1. In combination with a shoe of a planter, a block having a fixed jaw and a detachable jaw bearing against opposite sides of the shoe, said block extending above the shoe,' gage devices Carried by the said block and means to clamp the said jaws on opposite sides of the shoe.

2. In combination with a shoe of a planter, a block having a. xed jaw disposed on one side of said shoe, said block having a head extending` above the shoe, devices Carried by the said head and disposed on opposite sides of the shoe, a detachable jaw dis posed on the side of the shoe opposite that against which the xed jaw bears, and means toelamp said javvs on opposite sides of said shoe and permit the vertical adjustment of said block and gage devices.

3. A shoe gage for corn planters' oomprising' a block formed with an integral jaw t'o bear on one side of the shoe of' a planter, a shoulder to extend above the upper edge of the shoe and a head" to extendV above the shoe, said head having an axle, a detachable j aw to bear under the shoulder of the block and against the opposite side of the shoe,

means to clamp the said jaws to the shoe and i gage Wheels mountedl on said axle and disposed on opposite sides of the shoe.

4lshoe gage for corn planters compris'- ing a block having a fixed jaw to bear o n one side of the shoe, a fulerum shoulder on the inner face of the fixed aw, to lie above `the'shoe, and a bearing shoulder extending laterally from and overhangmg the fulorum shoulder, and a head at the upper end oi In testimony' Whereoil I atlx my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

PAUL A. KELLER.

lVitnesses R. M'. BATES, .ToHN ALExANnER. 

